Too late?
by TwinkleToesToo
Summary: A future reunion of sorts...done my way. Warning, does contain spoilers for episode 719 'Broken Wings'.


My note…Okay, first of all, I've already seen episode 719 'Broken Wings', and while it was a decent plot, I think it would have made much more sense if it would have been done with Ashley(they could have even used the issue of stem cell surgery to strain their relationship, and cozy Trina and Jimmy up...instead of the crappy excuse they used). Anyway, I'm taking what(little) the writers gave us and running with it(not far though...I hate running!).

TOO LATE?

She was standing in line at the coffee shop closest to the hotel she was staying at, debating over which flavored syrup to get in her latte, or if she should go with skim, and get the whipped cream, of forfeit the cream, to get whole milk.

"Can I take your order, Miss?", the pleasant, yet persistent employee behind the counter asked. It was the morning rush, and although he was anxious to clear the snaking line, but the bright-eyed, well dressed beauty in front of him, was a welcome distraction from the dragging, unkempt college students he was used to serving.

"Oh, um...yes", she stammered bashfully, her cheeks reddening a bit as she rattled off her choices.

The clerk made small talk with her, while he took the order and money from the next patron in line. "So, you're here from Canada, eh?, he drawled with the best Canadian accent he could muster.

"Ah, yeah", she answered, with a soft giggle. There was a slight roll of her beautiful blue eyes, as she know took on an over exaggerated accent of her own, "How'd ya guess?".

A soft laugh was shared, followed by the clanging of the bells on the cafe door, as they opened. "Thanks", an all too familiar voice rang out and her head snapped around. She watched as he smiled appreciatively as he passed the woman holding the door open for him, on her way out.

Her face blanched with disbelief and her stomach flip-flopped at the realization that after all of this time, after everything that had happened between them...the mere sight of _him_, could still make her knees weak.

Apparently the same surprise and disbelief could be seen on his face, the minute he scanned the room and his eyes landed on _her._ "Ashley?".

"Hey", she managed, shocked that anything at all came out of her mouth.

"Never expected to see you here". Jimmy cringed at the way that sounded...impersonal, almost rude.

"Yeah, I'm in town for a few days...", was the crisp retort. Ashley let her words linger purposely, deciding Jimmy didn't deserved any further explanation. A slow nod was the only acknowledgement.

"The usual for ya, Jim?", Neil, the clerk behind the counter asked, breaking the two from their reverie.

Jimmy looked over at the man and forced a small smile, "Ah yeah, that'd be great. Thanks".

There was an awkward smile shared between Jimmy and Ashley, when the clerk yelled over his shoulder to the kitchen staff, "Hey Jenna...gimme Jimmy's usual".

"You come here often?", Ashley asked casually, almost playful. Jimmy blushed and shrugged innocently, as he paid for his breakfast.

Neil chuckled lightly, and blurted, "Every Wednesday morning...always orders the same thing...". His words trailed off, and an uncomfortable silence fell between the two as they waited for their food, each wanting so desperately to say what was on their minds, what had been on their minds for so long...

"Okay, here's your order, Miss", Neil called out, placing a bag on the high counter, and nudging it toward Ashley. "That's a scrambled egg, spinach, with just a sprinkle of Monterrey jack, served on a lightly toasted croissant, and a medium skim, vanilla latte". He grinned as soon as the realization hit him. "Wow, funny...two exact orders, within seconds of one another...one to go and one for here...", he commented, looking down at the food on the tray he was holding, then eyeing Jimmy pointedly as he placed his order on the counter, next to Ashley's.

In spite of the way she felt, the corners of Ashley's lips turned up into a small smirk. "I guess I must've acquired some of your unique tastes", Jimmy defended innocently.

A full grin took over and Ashley nodded. "I seem to remember you always trying to sneak some, or offering to finish my plate, after filling me up on tasty bites of your syrupy french toast", she chuckled softly.

"Yeah", Jimmy responded with a wistful sigh. Ashley lowered her head, the once happy memory obviously having the same effect on her. "Come join me", he found himself asking in the next breath.

Ashley was caught off guard, she looked down at her watch, and stammered to come up with an excuse, "I, um...I...". But one look into those hopeful, lonely looking eyes, and she felt like putty, "Sure".

They both reached for the food at the same time. "I got it", Jimmy insisted, and Ashley graciously backed her hand away. He lead her through the crowded seating area, to a small table near in the corner. "This okay?".

"Ah yeah, it's fine", she answered quickly, before she had a chance to change her mind, and sat down.

Jimmy took the space next to her, then placed the take-out bag that contained her food, on the table in front of her, and did the same with his own tray. He looked at the two cups he was holding and let out a nervous chuckle, "I guess it doesn't really matter who gets which...they're both the same".

Ashley nodded absently and took the proffered cup from Jimmy, the radiating cardboard, warming her oddly cool hands. She took a few, slow sips of the warm liquid, savoring the slightly sweet taste.

She hadn't realized she was staring, until...

"It's new".

"Excuse me?", she asked, befuddled...her eyes flickering up over the lid of her cup.

"The chair...it's new", he clarified, almost indifferently, as he continued to shake the pepper over his eggs.

"Oh", Ashley stammered, and proceeded to put her cup down. "It's nice". She immediately closed her eyes,and lowered her head in embarrassment..._How stupid did that sound?..._then busied herself with unpacking her breakfast in the hopes that it would alleviate the uneasiness that had fallen over them. It didn't.

"You seemed surprised", Jimmy's soft voice caused Ashley's eyes to snap up, once again, to meet his. "...when you first saw me".

She gave a little undecided shrug. Yes, she was surprised when she saw him enter the cafe, shocked even, but the chair wasn't the only reason...it had been almost a whole year since they'd seen each other..."I guess, a little", she confided truthfully, "last I heard, you and your girlfriend were heading off to Amsterdam for stem cell surgery". There was a slight change in Ashley's pitch, as she said the word 'girlfriend'.

A wry grin spread across Jimmy's lips, "Yeah well, that didn't exactly work out...on so many levels". The words were painful, Ashley could tell, and she felt something inside of her, break for him. Her expression remained neutral and she didn't expect him to continue. "The day after graduation, I grabbed my medical records, packed my bag and jumped on the first flight I could get", there was a pause, followed by a small chuckle, "...well didn't actually _jump_...". She smiled. "I went there with ten grand for the surgery, but ended up dishing out about another twenty for treatments, procedures, medication, living expenses...", Jimmy hesitated again. "...all for them to tell me that I didn't exactly qualify, and that there would be a less than one percent chance the surgery would work". He lifted his eyes up slowly. "It didn't".

"But it was something you had to do for yourself...something you had to try. Right?", Ashley queried.

Jimmy swallowed the half-hearted bite of his sandwich and nodded..._she understood_. _Of course she understood, she did the exact same thing when she decided to run off and persue her music career._ And now Jimmy understood, too.

"The experience was definitely worth it. I mean, this place was amazing...state of the art. The doctors, nurses, therapists, were all great. I heard about all the advances they're making, learned a bunch of new physio and strength training techniques...", he trailed off momentarily. "I just wish the outcome would've been different".

Ashley got the strange impression he was talking about more than just the surgery, so she asked, "What about Trina?"

Jimmy smirked and leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "I don't know...she's probably training for the Iditarod or climbing mount whatever, right now". He shrugged indifferently, but she could see that he was still bitter. "She got her surgery, sponged off of me while she could, and walked right out the door as soon as she was able".

Ashley couldn't help the slight feeling of satisfaction that ran through her at that moment, but it was soon replaced by another. "I'm so sorry Jimmy", she whispered sincerely.

"Don't be, it would've never lasted", he assured her, then cleared his throat nervously, "She wasn't worth it".

And now Ashley definitely knew that he was talking about more than just the surgery. "But, I wasn't talking about her", she corrected.

"I know, and thanks", Jimmy smiled. "Unfortunately, I knew going in, the surgery was a long shot...especially with and injury like mine...". The words hung in the air, and each took that moment to take a bite of their now cold, breakfasts. "So, how's life going for you?", he asked, thankful to finally get the chance to chance the subject. "Last I heard, you were touring Europe".

Ashley scrunched up her nose, "Yeah well, that didn't last very long".

"Why?", Jimmy chuckled at her response.

"Sex, drugs, rock and roll?", she quipped incredulously. "...not really my thing". Jimmy looked at her skeptically. "Okay, so maybe the rock and roll part, was kinda my thing", Ashley conceded with a giggle. "But the rest, just wasn't for me. I played with them for a few months, but quit once we got to London. I stayed with my dad and Chris, up until last month".

Jimmy nodded. He wanted to know all about life on the road, how London was, how her dad and Chris were...but another, more pressing question was nagging at him. "What about Craig?", he asked, a slight tone of jealously could be detected in his voice.

"_Really_ not my thing", Ashley insisted playfully. She noticed Jimmy visibly relax at this declaration, and smiled inwardly. "Last I heard, he was back in rehab...but that was late last summer. I don't know what's going on right now". She hesitated a few seconds before confessing, "I really haven't kept in touch with anyone".

"Me neither", Jimmy admitted. "I talk to Spin and Marco every once in a while, but...".

"Yeah, you're the only friend I've talked to or seen, since I've been back in North America", Ashley joked playfully. The laughter in her voice was music to Jimmy's ears...as was the word 'friend'.

"And, in New York of all places", he pointed out. "What does bring you here?", the curiosity of this random encounter, just now piquing his interest. He patted at his backpack, "Law school, maybe?".

Ashley laughed softly, as she tucked a curl behind her ear. "Um no actually, it's Broadway".

Jimmy raised his brow in admiration. "Wow, that's great Ash", he gasped. The proud expression on his face, as well as the use of her nickname, made Ashley smile.

"I did some theater in London, got noticed by this producer who offered me an audition...", she quickly glanced down at her watch and frowned, "...which I will be late for if I don't get going". She packed the half croissant back into the sack, placed it into her shoulder bag as she stood, and took one last sip of her coffee before tossing it into the trash can.

Ashley gave Jimmy a pleasant smile before she turned to go. "Hey Ash", he called out, and she turned to look over her shoulder. "If that Broadway thing works out...", he paused, struggling to find the right words. A shy grin began to form, and he shrugged self-consciously, "who knows...maybe we'll run into each other again".

She lowered her eyes to the floor, and chewed on her lower lip. Ashley wanted to hate him, she wanted to remember those rocky months...the secrets, the lack of communication...the way they ended.

But she wouldn't.

That was in the past, she wasn't that same girl and he wasn't that same guy. Things had changed, they had changed...and mostly for the better. She smiled genuinely and nodded, "Yeah, maybe we will".

Ashley Kerwin walked down the bustling street, she smiled as she thought to herself...callbacks for the auditions wouldn't take place until_ next_ Wednesday.

* * *

It seems as though I've come down with a severe case of spring fever...you give me a little freedom and I basically drop everything and run off to play. I wont go into too much detail, but the last two weeks consisted of two road trips, one quiet weekend with my betrothed, swimming, shopping...and a LOT of eating(and yes of course, some rehearsing). So do I apologize for neglecting my stories(they will be updated, I promise) and my friends(Kelley, sorry it's been forever since I last pm'd you)...but damn, did I have fun!

Degrassi is not mine.


End file.
